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Phd Student Nicole Mclean Presents Paper At Saint Louis University

June 23, 2016 History

Nicole McLean has presented her paper at the Fourth Annual Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University.

Nicole McLean has presented her paper, “Power in Prato: Margherita Datini and Her Letters to Her Husband, 1386-1410” at the Fourth Annual Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University. The symposium took place on June 21, 2016.

The paper discussed the life of Margherita Datini, a merchant woman who successfully ran a busy household and farms, and also took on a substantial role in her husband’s merchant operations. Based on letters written to Francesco, McLean believes that Margherita was a confident woman who possessed a tremendous amount of power even though women were subordinate to men in “law and custom” and had little institutionally, sanctioned authority. This idea counter-argues what some historians hold to be true, which is that Margherita was an emotional and defensive woman who was easily insulted if Francesco failed to acknowledge her hard work. Additionally, historians have not recognized Margherita’s control over the household and her assistance in running the merchant business as a way for women to exert power. McLean argues that the letters reveal a strong woman who often stood up for herself and played a vital position in the success of Francesco’s enterprise. While these letters may only reveal one specific woman’s experiences, historians may be able to use their evidence to illuminate the lives of other women of the merchant class.